Veteran leader in academic publishing named director of Indiana University Press

Veteran leader in academic publishing named director of Indiana University Press

Aug. 18, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Gary Dunham, a leader and innovator in academic publishing for two decades, has been appointed director of Indiana University Press and Digital Publishing, Executive Vice President and IU Bloomington Provost Lauren Robel announced today.

Dunham has served since 2010 as director of publications for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, where he transformed the 173,000-member association’s publications program.

He was previously executive director of State University of New York Press from 2008 to 2010 and director of University of Nebraska Press from 2004 to 2007. He has a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Virginia and has taught at the University of Nebraska, Creighton University and the University of Virginia.

Dunham brings with him an academic’s passion for books combined with a deep understanding of the editorial process to the position. With success in extending and enriching scholarly fields through proactive publishing efforts, he was central to the development of successful journal programs at both Nebraska and SUNY.

“I am so pleased to welcome Gary Dunham to the Indiana University community,” Robel said. “Gary is a proven leader in directing publications at universities and in the public sector, and his work in online journals, scholarly publications and periodicals uniquely suits him to build upon the excellent reputation of IU Press. His enthusiasm and openness to collaboration will bring scholars together around a singular goal: to develop and articulate a compelling vision, mission and strategy for the future of publishing at IU.”

At the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, he co-developed and co-directed a book publishing program, oversaw a sweeping update of scholarly journals and online publications and redesigned the association’s news magazine. The association is a national professional organization for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, speech, language and hearing scientists, and students.

“I’m thrilled with Indiana University’s commitment to scholarly publishing,” Dunham said. “It’s an invigorating time to be a university publisher. The ongoing revolution in digital communication technologies presents unparalleled opportunities to disseminate, leverage and lend immediacy to research. Harnessing those technological advances is instrumental to bringing ideas and discoveries to readers, and I look forward to working with the university to explore the exciting frontiers of scholarly publishing.”

Dunham will begin his position as director of IU Press on Oct. 20. As director of IU Press and Digital Publishing, he will provide strategic and editorial direction, building on Indiana University’s reputation for high-quality print, e-book and journal publishing and leading the development of innovative publishing and scholarly communication.

“Gary Dunham has an impressive track record as a teacher of in-depth student and faculty workshops on publishing,” said Carolyn Walters, executive director of the Office of Scholarly Publishing and executive associate dean of IU Libraries. “He recognizes the opportunities presented by the Scholars’ Commons, soon to open in Wells Library, to realize a comprehensive campus outreach and education program for scholarly communication connecting the press more closely to the IU community.”

Indiana University Press is an internationally recognized academic publisher specializing in the humanities and social sciences. It produces 120 new books annually, in addition to 26 journals, and maintains a backlist of more than 3,000 titles. Since it was founded in 1950, IU Press has been committed to publishing ideas and knowledge of global significance, regional importance and lasting value. As we progress into the digital age, IU Press continues to provide innovative content in a variety of formats. Specialties include African, African American, Asian, cultural, Jewish and Holocaust, Middle East, Russian and East European, and women's and gender studies. Major disciplines include anthropology, film, history, bioethics, music, paleontology, philanthropy, philosophy and religion.